Rob Pruitt’s Warhol Statue’s 15 Minutes of Fame Extended Until Spring

Back in March when Rob Pruitt’s chromed Warhol statue “The Andy Monument” was unveiled outside the building that housed The Factory between 1967 and 1973 at the corner of 17th Street and Broadway, it was scheduled to be taken down on October 2nd, and we we were all like, “one hopes it might find a permanent home somewhere in Union Square, or near one of the Factory’s many other locations, rather than, like, a collector’s backyard.” And, low and behold, not only has the statue not yet been removed, but on Saturday the Public Art Fund—which commissioned it—announced that it will remain in place at least through May 13, 2012.

In a statement announcing the monument’s extended lease, Public Art Fund director and chief curator said: “Rob always had a feeling that this sculpture might become something of a pilgrimage site, and that’s precisely what’s happened. The public has embraced Andy, and we’re delighted to extend his stay in Union Square.”

Also commenting on the statue’s function as a pilgrimage site, Pruitt said: “When I see soup cans on the base or people standing in front of the monument to have their pictures taken, it reminds me of all the others who share this love of Andy and the life that he lived. The monument is almost more than art—it fills a void in the urban landscape to a man who so embodied the spirit of the city.”

For an example of said soup cans on the statue’s base, see below. For news of Pruitt’s monument’s fate come spring, stay tuned.